Bottle-seal.



S. BARUGH.

BOTTLE SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED 111120, 1911.

Patnted June 18, 1912.

6 l N VEN TOR ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH ca, WASHINGTON, D. C.

TS P ET FTCE.

BOTTLE-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

AppIication filed February 20, 1911. Serial No. 609,691.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, SAMUEL BARUCI-I, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Bronx, county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Bottle-Seal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in bottle seals, and more particularly to that type of seal which is designed to be applied to a bottle to prevent the cork or the contents from being withdrawn, without leaving conclusive evidence that the bottle has been tampered with.

My improved seal includes a metal cap, which, when slipped over the mouth of the bottle, becomes automatically locked in place, so that it cannot be removed without being broken, but at the same time, it may be very easily broken with the fingers or with any small instrument, to permit the removal of the cork or the withdrawal of the. contents.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, and in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a bottle sealed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bottle neck and cap; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bottle neck, the cap being-removed; and Fig. 5 is a developed plan of the bottle cap.

My improved device, in its essential features, includes a cap with means upon the inside thereof for automatically engaging with the bottle to prevent the removal of the cap after the latter is once placed in position. As shown, the device in its preferred form is designed for use in connection with a bottle, having a neck 10 encircled by an annular flange 11 near the mouth of the bottle. The portion beyond the flange 11 is of a length substantially equal to the height of the cap, so that when the cap is in place it will seat against the face of the flange 11. Between the mouth of the bottle and the flange, I provide a shoulder for coiiperating with the cap to prevent the removal of the latter. As shown, I form a plurality of recesses 12 in the outer surface of the bottle neck, between the mouth and the flange 11, and each recess terminates in a shoulder 13. The number of these recesses 1s unlmportant, and, if desired, they may all merge into each other adjacent to the shoulder.

The cap includes a cylindrical body portion 14 of a size designed to closely fit the neck of the bottle, and at the free edge of this body portion, there are a plurality-of inwardly and upwardly extending fingers or flanges 15. These correspond in number, position and size to the recesses 12, and their upper edges are designed to engage within the recesses and against the shoulders 18. It is thus evident that in placing the cap in position, the fingers are forced against the peripheral wall, but that as soon as it reaches the position against the flange, the fingers 15 will spring inwardly into the recesses, and thus positively prevent the cap from being removed. The flange 11 not only forms a seat for the cap, but it also positively prevents any instrument from being inserted beneath the edge of the cap, to force the fingers out of their respective pockets. The portions of the bottle neck between adjacent recesses and adjacent to the flange 11 positively prevents the edge of the cap from being so bent inwardly as to break off or flatten out the spring fingers 15.

The cap is formed of very thin metal, and has the end wall 16 covering the cork. This end wall is separated from the peripheral wall by a plurality of narrow curved slots 17, separated by tongues 18. These tongues are so narrow that they are very fragile and permit the center portion or end wall proper 16, to be removed by breaking said tongues. The tongues are sufliciently strong to normally hold the end wall in position during any shipment or handling of the bottle, and the end wall is of such size as to completely cover the cork so that no tube or instrument could be inserted through or at the side of the cork to remove the contents of the bottle. The end wall may be lithographed, embossed or stamped to show the trade-mark, name or other insignia of the manufacturer or bottler, so that should the cap be entirely removed, it would be difficult for an unauthorized person to secure a similar cap to re-seal the bottle after the withdrawal of the contents and refill the bottle with a different liquid.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In combination a bottle having an external, annular flange spaced from the mouth by acylindrical neck portion, said neck por tion having a plurality of recess portions extending lengthwise thereof and each terminating in a shoulder adjacent to but spaced from the mouth, a cork within the neck and terminating substantially flush with the mouth thereof, and a non-removable cap having an end wall covering said cork and said mouth, a peripheral wall encircling said neck and seating on said flange, and a plurality of resilient fingers extending inwardly and upwardly into said recesses from the free edge ofsaid peripheral wall and engaging with the sides of said recesses to prevent rotation of the cap and engaging with said shoulder to prevent removal of said cap. In testimony whereof I have "signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL BARUCH. \Vitnesses C. W. FAIRBANK, W. C. CAMP ELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

